Do you find yourself battling worry and irritation? Does your mind wander to the worst cast scenarios? Or maybe you just wake up in a bad mood? For many, this may almost feel like this is our default mindset is looking for what’s wrong.
Well, the way science explains it, this is not by accident. There are two reasons for this. The first reason is it’s our primitive brain. Our primitive brain is designed to focus on potential threats or dangers because it helps us survive. It quickly identifies what’s wrong, like predators or hazards, and triggers reactions to keep us safe. This instinctual response helped early humans stay alive in dangerous environments.
The second reason, from a Christian perspective, is because of the fall of man; our sin nature drives us to focus on what is wrong! This is a result of spiritual separation from God. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, sin entered the world, bringing spiritual and physical death, guilt, shame, and a corrupted human nature. This brokenness causes humans to instinctively seek out flaws or threats in themselves and others, this is all reflecting the inward torment and rejection from God that began with the fall. This tendency is rooted in our inherited sin nature, which shapes our perception and behavior toward self-preservation and survival in a fallen world.
So, there you have it! The deck is stacked against us from the start. Science believes it occurs to keep us alive which probably served its purpose when we lived in life-threatening times—which we all know most of us don’t have to worry about. The second reason I gave you is the one I believe is the real culprit. We live in a fallen world. This was not the original plan. We wake up every day with a feeling of something is wrong. Our flesh tells us we can solve this! I previously shared my personal testimony of how God made a way for us to have a relationship with him if we will accept the sacrifice of his son Christ and accept by faith his life, death, resurrection and that he paid the penalty for our sin. When we believe this by faith we are given a new life. He gives us the Holy Spirt to guide us and teach us through his word the life he wants us to live. We will continue to battle the flesh and be given the opportunity to live by his spirit.
I believe some of the prosperity preachers spread a big lie from the pulpit. Once you become a Christian God is going to make you wealthy and you won’t have any more problems. God did not tell us this. We still live in a fallen corrupt world. The father of lies, Satan, still prowls the earth looking for those he can deceive. Life will not be perfect this side of heaven. There is still the battle between good and evil. We will experience pain, many of us will deal with aging parents and burying our loved ones. We will battle our flesh and will be tempted by what the world tells us will make us happy and fulfilled.
How do We Live Our Life?
Christ has given us the answers in his playbook: the Bible. It’s the living breathing truth of God. I’m going to give you some practical steps God has given me. Pray about this. Adjust it and tweak it to be your own.
1. Begin Each Day with Gratitude
If you’ve read my posts or listened to my podcast episodes this part may sound like a broken record. It’s all about your morning routine.
Who you spend time with first thing in the morning. Who gets your attention? The news, social media, or maybe it’s filled with busyness. You hit the ground running focused on your to do list.
My suggestion is to give yourself 30 minutes in the morning. I share what I do. I get my morning coffee, go into my office, I listen to the free app Abide. It is a 2-minute Christian meditation app. I read Our Daily Bread and I get out my prayer journal. I start with gratitude! Thanking God for my husband, for my good night’s sleep, my children, my friends, all the activities I get to do, my health. All that God has given me; the little things and the big things. Starting with a grateful thankful heart. I then share all my prayer requests with him. I even ask him what to address with you.
2. Keep a Gratitude Journal
Record three things daily that you are thankful for—big or small. This practice trains your mind to focus on positive aspects of life and nurtures a grateful heart.
3. Practice Gratitude and come from a service-minded attitude
Our flesh nature is very selfish. Our flesh nature comes from the place of: “what’s in it for me.” If we do not stay on top of our thinking we will gravitate toward the negative; what other people have done to us, fear of what is going to happen to us, or what’s not fair. This is the battle! It’s a spiritual battle. As believers we have the answer, we must yield our wills to Christ’s will for us. It’s done thru gratitude and allowing Christ to change or minds. The concept of renewing our minds is rooted in scripture, particularly Romans 12:2, which states: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” I also suggest you surround yourself with like-minded people: other believers. Share with them the areas where you struggle. Get support. If you’re a new Christian find trusted Christian mentors. Spiritual battles are real. Especially our personal battles. It all starts with a thankful grateful heart, allowing the Holy Spirit to change us. This is the life of a Christian believer.
I struggle with what you struggle with: getting caught up in the world’s definition of success, being better than everyone else, comparing my life to other people’s lives, getting caught up in gossip, the list goes on and on—until I figured out the real culprit which is me. My mind and the stories I convince myself are true. I had to figure out that this beautiful gift God has given me and you is our thinking brain. What we choose to do with this gift is up to us. It’s our free will. We can use it for good or follow the world’s pattern of trying to find fulfillment. I’m here to tell you. I’ve tried it both ways: my way or God’s way. When I yield to him, have a grateful heart toward him, seek his guidance, and live my life from a service-minded attitude, my life is lived with so much more peace and less anxiety. God, his word, and doing what his word tells us to do is the answer!
Monette hosts a weekly podcast: Mornings with Monette. She has been a lifelong learner and and appreciates the opportunity to share what she has learned–both through her podcast and here at The Best-Life Project (based on the content of her weekly podcast). Her messages are raw, honest and straight from the heart. She lives in Albuquerque, NM with her husband Leland. They have three adult children and are enjoying living their best lives filled with travel and adventure. For more information, visit: http://morningswithmonette.com/.
Yes, Monette, the more I realize that being around negative complainers, the more I am convicted to be especially conscious of how I am speaking or what I am speaking about in terms of avoiding being a Debbie Downer that affects others as well as myself.
As you say , in order for me to be filled with a grateful heart, eliminating as much as possible, a negative attitude by praising Him for all I have been blessed with right now in my life, is my daily goal. …even if my day is not what I had planned or expected.